Clinical trials in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer: past, present and future

Combinations of surgery and chemotherapy are crucial in the treatment of ovarian cancer. This article reviews the conclusions of all recently performed trials and gives information on the now open randomized studies. The importance of radical surgery in combination with chemotherapy in early disease is clear, but uncertainties still exist in relation to timing and choice of chemotherapy. Many data from trials are helpful in outlining the indications for cytoreductive surgery, the timing of this procedure, second-look laparotomy in clinically complete remission, and secondary cytoreduction, but many details are yet to be addressed in future randomized studies. The place of new chemotherapeutic agents (in advanced disease and in adjuvant setting) is currently being investigated in many clinical trials.